Fact Sheet – Santa Rita, CDM Hydro Dam in Guatemala

ENGLISH
The Santa Rita Hydroelectric Plant in the Dolores River in the Alta Verapaz region in Guatemala was registered as a Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM) project in June 2014. The communities living in the Alta Verapaz region are completely dependent on the water of the river for their livelihoods. The Guatemalan Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples in their territory. Additionally the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (169), ratified by Guatemala in 1996, the Modalities and Procedures of the CDM give communities the right to be consulted before project approval decisions are made. However, these three rules were violated and peaceful protests by communities against the construction of the dam resulted in severe human harms, including the alleged deaths of seven people, amongst them two indigenous children of 11 and 13 years.